Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-28
RUDDIGORE A FAILURE.
The Vexatious and Annoyin @ Char.
Ncter ofTheatricaI management.

The Vexatious and Annoyin q Char
acter ofTheatricaI Management.
NEW YORK, Feb. 26.-"Ruddigore" is a
failure. 1t cost pot OF money and raised
q vast amount of talk, and when it was
produced the friendliness and good ma
ture of the audience was exhibited in
every possible way.
The complications preceding its pro-
duction illustrate the Yexatious and an
moving character of theatrical manage
ment. Mr.. StetsOn, of the Fifth avenue
theatre, paid rafting big sum for the
privilege OF producing ''RuddIgOre" last
autumn. Gilbert and Sullivan said that
tbeSpera would be ready by Oct. 1, and
Mr.. Steison refused to allow any travel
ing combination to rent his theatre after
that date. Delay succeeded delay until
ikSst Monday. when the opera was finally
IToduced. Meanwhile MIR. Stetson paid
enormous salaries to all the people IN hi
opera company from the date of their en-
gagement in October. His losses have
been tremendous. With all this money
gone and but the tail end or the
season to play to, it can be readily
imagined that he watched the production
OF "Ruddigore" with something akin to
anxiety.
1t has been said after the production of
that the famous colaborateurs had writ
ten themselves out This was the CRY
particularly after "lolantbe," and vet the
freshness, novelty and beauty OF the
"Mikado" gave the lie direct to the asser-
fsaa. Gilbert and Sullivan have not writ
Ten them seves out by any means, but
they are human and liable at times 10
DROP into the commonplace. The COM
monplace is precisely what character
ICES '.RuddigOre." Mr.. Gilbert wrote the
opera with the intention of making it
skit or satire on the conventional English
melodrama, in which there is virtuous
maiden. a sailor lover, wicked baronet
and tender-hearted old man. He has
taken all the well-known types. strung
them along through a story that is neither
clever nor Interesting and written the reg
ulati0n number OF songs. There are
none OF the ingenious little terms In the
verse like "Tbe sentimental passion OF a
vegetable fashion" is Patience" or
GCTnere's fascination frantic in a ruin
that is romantic" in the "Mikado." About
the most catching thing in the patter
song In the second act, and the best verse
goes as follows:
eff had been so lucky a. TO have a steady
brother,
Who could talk to me as we are talking now
TO one another
Who could give me good advice when he dis
covered was errng,
(Which is just the very favor which on you I
am cOnferring.)
My story would have made a rather interest
ing idylI,
And might have lived and died a very de-
cent indiwiddle.
This particularly rapid. unintellgible patter.
Isn't generally heard, and If 1t Is 1t doesut
matter"
When it is understood that this is the
most catching and popular verse OF the
opera, judging solely from the applause of
s chi .Selsnas .ss sta sSin .n"t Mr.
There was a notable audience in the |
Fifth avenue theatre to usher the opera
in. Nearly everybody at all prominent |
in the professions or in society or bust |
ness was there, and the reception extend
ed to the principal performers was en-
thusiastic and cordial 10 the last degree. |
The company Is tue one which play ed the |
"Mikado" h<a2early all last ear, and
as the famU S1asAs. appeared on the
stage round oz una OF applause
greeted them. Bws the opera pro.
dressed the applause dwinded away,
bnally giving place to half sulleu indif-
ference. Toward the end of the opera
the people arose in the house and
pulled on their overcoats before the
curtain had come down. This is an awful |
omen.
The costumes were gorgeous. the seem /
cry admirable and the company of the |
conventional fashion. 1t Is just possible |
that q roilickinY troupe of American |
comedians could make a success of
"Ruddigore" by making a strong burles. |
que OF the melodramaiic features; but az
IL stands now IL is condemned as the least
Interesting and entertaining of Gilbert
and Sullivan's works.
IL IL but fair TO say OF the music that it
10 OF higher character Than anything
Sullivan has heretofore written. and